Letter from W. Stanley to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; May 25, 1871

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Letter from W. Stanley to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; May 25, 1871

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People

Alcorn, J. L. (James Lusk), 1816-1894 Coggeshall, Unknown Craig, Unknown Farnsworth, Unknown Hewson, H. F.Stanely, W.Veret, Unknown

Events

Crime Crime--Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon Crime--Assault and battery Crime--Intent to Kill Crime--Jail Escapes Crime--Shooting

Organizations

Depots Mississippi. Executive Department Political Parties--Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )Post offices

Occupations

Justices of the peace Secretaries Surgeons

Places

Harrison County (Miss.)Jackson (Miss.)Oakland (Miss.)Tallahatchie County (Miss.)

Vital Statistics

Death Wounds and injuries

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Harrison Station Miss.
May 25, 1871

Gov. James L. Alcorn.
Jackson Miss.

I have the honor to inform your excellency that at about half past five this evening, Mr. Coggeshall—late representative from this county—was attacked by three men from Oakland and dangerously, if not mortally wound. Mr. C. went into the Post office, received his mail and stepped out. A party by the name of Craig approached him and asked if his name was Coggeshall. Mr. C. replied that it was. The other party then said, "You're a damned radical." Mr. C. replied that he was a repub-lican. The other party then struck him in the face, drawing a navy revolver at the same time. Mr. C. had a pair of small derrengers in his pocket; he drew one, when the other fired, striking him full in the chest. Mr. C. fired, his shot flew wide

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passing through the front of the building near the roof. The others had already drawn their weapons, and two more shots were fired at Mr. C. one striking him in the hip, and another in the leg below the knee. The citizens of the town had now assembled, and prevented the Oakland party from completing their work on the spot. Mr. Coggeshall was placed on a cot in the depot building and a surgeon summoned, who examined his wounds, and extracted the ball from the leg, but did not deem it prudent to extract the one from the hip. The surgeon was unable to find the ball which entered the chest. The citizens brought the attacking party before Justice Veret, who proceeded to issue a warrant for Mr. Coggeshall. The Oakland party then quietly mounted their horses and rode off. The action of Justice Veret in permitting the band to escape, without even an in-vestigation, was severely commented on by the citizens. Parties who were not

friends of Mr. C. characterize this affair as an indefensible, cold-blooded, ruffianly, dastardly outrage, committed on a quiet, peaceable citizen without even the shadow of a pretence. There are two other white men in the county who supported your Excellency in the last canvass—Justice Farnsworth and the undersigned. I barely succeeded in saving the old squire's life, a few months since, but as the old man has repented in sackcloth and ashes for that offense, I believe I am the only "bright and shining mark" left for the bullets of our "brave and chivalrous" fellow citizens.

I have the honor to be
Your Excellencys obd't serv't.

W. Stanley

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PRECIS.
[gap]

No'. [gap]

Executive Office,
State of Mississippi,
County of County of Tallahatchie

From W Stanley
Address Harrison Station
Dated May. 25. 1871.
Received ,, 27. ,,
Answered [gap]

Reports the shooting and dangerously wounding of Mr. Coggeshall &c

JAMES L. ALCORN,
Governor.

H. F. HEWSON,
Secretary.